Bowl Game Predictions

Bowl Game Predictions, If UCLA can get an NCAA waiver to play in a bowl game with a losing record, I deserve a pass for going 18-17 and getting blasted by fans who lost their house betting my wild guesses in Las Vegas.

These annual predictions are for entertainment purposes only — unless you win a million dollars and want to send me half. There are not a lot of good matchups this season, but there are a lot of tough picks.

The bowls are ranked in reverse order, the least interesting first, and were painstakingly selected with help from the consulting firm of “Manny, Moe & He Doesn’t Know Jack.”

29. New Orleans, Louisiana Lafayette (8-4) vs. San Diego State (8-4), Saturday, 9 p.m. EST, ESPN: La-La has the home beignet advantage, but San Diego State will play five hard quarters if you count the French. Winner: San Diego State.

28. Independence, North Carolina (7-5) vs. Missouri (7-5), Dec. 26, 5 p.m. EST, ESPN2: Four out of five independent dentists note six of the last seven games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Winner: Missouri.

26. Pinstripe, Rutgers (8-4) vs. Iowa State (6-6), Dec. 30, 3:15 p.m. EST, ESPN: This has the chance to be the second-greatest Pinstripe Bowl ever after last year’s thrilling inaugural game between Syracuse and Kansas State. Winner: Rutgers.

25. Little Caesars Pizza, Western Michigan (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6), Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. EST, ESPN: As tough to swallow as cardboard dough with tomato paste, but you are allowed to add anchovies and up to three other toppings. Winner: Purdue.

24. Belk, North Carolina State (7-5) vs. Louisville (7-5), Dec. 27, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN: Louisville lost a tiebreaker to West Virginia for the Big East title; North Carolina State lost the potato-sack race at Belk’s annual company picnic. Winner: Louisville.

20. Gator, Ohio State (6-6) vs. Florida (6-6), Jan. 2, 1 p.m. EST, ESPN2: The bowl’s Mendoza-line mediocrity was masked by pairing Urban Meyer’s former team against the school he will soon be coaching. Winner: Florida.

18. Poinsettia, Texas Christian (10-2) vs. Louisiana Tech (8-4), Dec. 21, 8 p.m., ESPN: TCU was two BCS spots from playing in a major bowl before getting dropped to a game with a gift bag that includes tickets to a bull fight in Tijuana. Winner: TCU.

11. MAACO Las Vegas, Boise State (11-1) vs. Arizona State (6-6), Dec. 22, 8 p.m., ESPN: Blue turf quarterback Kellen Moore lost three games by five points in four years and got shipped to the Casino II Bowl. That’s a load of craps. Winner: Boise State.

10. Alamo, Washington (7-5) vs. Baylor (9-3), Dec. 29, 9 p.m. EST, ESPN: Take a boat ride on the San Antonio River and catch RG3 enjoying No. 3 combination plate with his Heisman at a local cantina. Winner: Baylor.

3. BCS championship, Louisiana State (13-0) vs. Alabama (11-1), Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN: Every pollster who voted Alabama into this game instead of Oklahoma State should be locked in a room while Nick Saban reads the Acme Oyster House menu. Winner: LSU.

2. Rose, Oregon (10-2) vs. Wisconsin (11-2), Jan. 2, 5 p.m., ESPN: Oregon has lost its last two BCS bowl games because opposing teams had a month to slow down tape and actually translate Chip Kelly into English. Winner: Wisconsin.